Traditional Italian chocolate cookies have a hint of orange flavor and a drizzle of frosting on top. This recipe makes a big batch.
Preparation Time
60 mins
Cooking Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Calories
78 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 2
Whisk flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt in a large bowl. Stir orange zest into flour mixture. Mix vegetable shortening and margarine into dry ingredients, using your hands, until mixture is crumbly.
Step 3
Form dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place onto ungreased baking sheets.
Step 4
Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cookies on racks.
Step 5
Dip tops of cookies into frosting and place frosted cookies on racks with waxed paper underneath to catch drips. Let cookies dry overnight.
Step 6
Beat eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until foamy; add egg mixture, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 1/4 cup milk to flour mixture and knead dough in the bowl until thoroughly combined and dough doesn't stick to your hands, about 8 minutes. Dough will be stiff. Knead cream cheese thoroughly into dough, followed by walnuts.
Step 7
Beat 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon orange juice, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth; gradually beat in remaining confectioners' sugar until frosting is thick and drizzles slowly from a spoon.
Ingredients
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 large orange, zested
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed
1 teaspoon orange juice, or as needed
0.5 cup chopped walnuts
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
0.25 cup orange juice
0.5 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1.5 teaspoons ground allspice
0.25 cup whole milk
1.5 teaspoons ground cloves
0.5 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco®)
0.25 cup baking powder
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey's®)
